Category: Cultural

#Lore24 – Entry #358 – Sci-Fi Month IV #23 – Seeking What Lies Hidden in the Sands of Time

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “I hope that I’m not delving into a topic I shouldn’t here, but what steps did you take to further your research once these special individuals began to show up again?”

RV:  “I won’t give you all the dirty little details, but will admit that I have used methods which most would find very questionable at best, downright ruthless and monstrous at worst.  I have faced no few attempts upon my life since I renewed my research, and I am something of the galaxy’s boogeyman because of them.  But as I’ve stated before, I don’t care what others think of me.  Most of them are beneath me and could not begin to fathom what it is I seek.

So, once I started to recognize these individuals again, I moved swiftly to secure them for myself.  You’ve heard rumors of some of the methods DSM employs, no doubt.  Some are completely true, others only slightly so.  I directed my AR&D division, in accordance with some of the secrets gleaned from the ancient draconic relics, to enhance the creatures known as doppelgangers, greatly enhancing their psychic abilities and their ability to duplicate their victims, without need for consuming them; all my particular breed of them require is a blood sample and time to psychically analyze and copy their targets innermost thoughts.  This made acquiring some of the more public and prominent test subjects much easier when I could simply replace them with versions that were loyal to me, and would further ensure that DSM maintained its position at the top of the power structure.

Don’t look so shocked, my dear.  In the grand scheme of things, this is on the minor end of the scale when it comes to the terrible things I’ve done in pursuit of my ultimate goal.  You needn’t worry about being replaced yourself, nor should you worry about meeting an untimely end upon leaving here.  Believe it or not, I do have a great deal of respect for what is you’re doing, however roundabout your methods are.  It’s a dodge worthy of Marcon himself, really.

Now, with a few new subjects to study, I would finally see my centuries of research bear fruit, would finally begin to unravel what it was that lay hidden within the sands of time by the dragons.”

AG:  “May I dare ask what it was that was so well hidden?”

RV:  “Why, the dragons themselves, of course.  Or, at the very least, their knowledge and experiences, stored in a way that only someone like me could manage to uncover.  There have been a few others over the course of the many millennia who have began to follow the road I have but have never taken the steps required to actually reach its end, for one seeking this knowledge cannot allow themselves be dissuaded by little things like common decency or a few lives along the way.  Take Lila Darius, for example; she has been something of a treasure hunter and historian in many of her incarnations, but try as she might, she is simply incapable of attaining the knowledge that she too seeks, because she has not allowed herself to see others as I do, to study them as I have.

I’m speaking of the very nature of advanced life as we know it, of the many sentient races who populate this galaxy.  At some time or another, we were all created, more or less in our current forms, by the dragons, our civilizations cultivated, changed, and ultimately left to fall to ruin in the wake of these beings who apparently vanished from whatever worlds they had played with, vanishing into time and space. 

But they didn’t vanish; no, they evolved.  Evolved into an existence that the pathetic little brains of the average being cannot begin to fathom.  That’s why most religions were formed, to make sense of these great beings that had evolved beyond common ability to understand.  Their evolution was what drove them to their experiments with the lesser races, what fueled their travels from one world to the next, trying something different each time, seeing what additional knowledge they could glean from their work.

Not all dragons were that way, certainly.  Some sought simpler existences, were content to continue ruling over their followers as gods in the flesh, while others seemed to grow discontent with their creations, attempting to destroy them only to find out that they had grown beyond their ability to handle, through various factors like the mastery of arcane magic and the formation of “divine” connections, and simple tenacity to survive.  Still other dragons would take different paths along their evolution, seeking to become more like their creations, to live amongst them or even to become them.”

#Lore24 – Entry #356 – Sci-Fi Month IV #21 – Following the Trail of the Dragons

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “…Are you suggesting that the dragons themselves in these creation stories are in fact the gods?  Or…rather, that the gods as we know them are in fact, the dragons?”

RV:  “See, I told you you’d get there.  Yes, I am quite certain that the various deities that we know of, through whatever means they may have created their various child species or the loyal followers they have cultivated over time are indeed the dragons of legend.  Aside from a handful of examples that we know of throughout history, based upon the standard Andyllion-centric views, there have been no encounters with living dragons, yet it seems our lives have been shaped by them consistently and seemingly at every turn as we delve deeper and deeper into our galaxy. 

I’m not suggesting that all gods are dragons, far from it, for we have multiple examples of the lesser races ascending to that lofty realm, your own goddess for example.  But I am saying that the majority of the gods as we understand them are or were, dragons.  The dragons themselves are, in spite of everything we know of them, very alien to common understanding, so the methods they use and the reasons they do what they do are still very much uncertain, even to me.  But in this, I am quite certain.”

AG:  “Could you elucidate upon this, please?  What have you learned that leads you to this conclusion?”

RV:  “It’s a very long trail, a most convoluted web, but I will endeavor to be as succinct as possible.  As I’ve said before, I realized fairly early in my existence that I was in fact different from the other elves, and began to search for others like myself that were…different.  Through the long course of my research, I did indeed discover others like me, for when I first met them, I experienced a visceral, instinctive reaction like what I described feeling for Lila Darius.  Though these individuals did not always possess the same understanding of the arcane as I did, they possessed certain other traits similar to my own:  greater ambitions, exceptional drive to accumulate wealth, the ability to instill intense loyalty, that sort of thing.  This is what would, at some points in history, be referred to as the “spark of rulership” or some such thing, that extra little something that made various rulers greater than others. 

I likewise felt this when I first met Marcon Shadowmist, and again when I met his various children prior to the Age of Legends.  Marcon aside, for he is an anomaly amongst anomalies, the reaction I felt inside me with his children was exactly the same as what I felt when I find myself thinking of Lila Darius, only slightly lesser, given our frequent clashes over time.  The thing about Marcon…he is always testing you.  Always.  When he sought me out for assistance in correcting the demon incursion problem, it was a test.  When we sat back and observed events during the Age of Legends, it was a test.  Though I have not met him since before the Imperium War, I’m certain he still tests me.

And what is he testing for?  Some would say character, others perhaps wisdom, or others simply how well one can maintain their manners.  It’s hard to say exactly.  But in this, I believe he was testing my awareness of myself and of my nature, for he knew what I was, though he never once hinted at my true nature.  I suppose you could say he didn’t wish to spoil the surprise. 

Once I became aware of this reaction, this resonance, with certain beings, I began my experiments, using the lesser beings, the ones who did not share my response to this resonance, as test subjects over the years.  I noted particular changes in the nature of the resonance between beings, some more visceral, others more muted, others something I could describe as a sense of familiarity, and since I could find no physical traits that would account for this, I delved deeper, all the way to their very souls. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be as simple as tearing down a soul.  No, there would be plenty of vexations along the way.”

#Lore24 – Entry #355 – Sci-Fi Month IV #20 – Musings on the Fate of the Dragons

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “Given the amount of time you’ve studied the dragons, you are likely the foremost expert on them in the galaxy.  Many researchers have previously attempted to access your research, and the one constant is the denial of access, which has fueled countless theories that you’ve made remarkable discoveries that you’ve used to get DSM and yourself to where you are now.  I suppose, since we’re moving onto the subject, that we should start at the beginning.  What started your admitted obsession with the dragons and their fate?”

RV:  “You’ll recall that I had always had an affinity for arcane magic.  Unlike others, I grasped the most complex concepts easily, and practically knew the draconic language used in arcana before I even studied it.  Most assumed I had simply been able to grasp the language easily, but no, I always knew the language.  I even gained mastery of High Draconic in the time it took normal arcanists to learn the basic form of the tongue.  Once I had gone to study the arcane, I quickly delved into what was known of dragon-kind, and quickly found it remarkably lacking and, somehow, instinctively, I knew much of it was wrong.  I always knew that I was different from my fellow elves, but I would begin to surmise that it was not simply the prodigy I had been named during this time.”

AG:  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but are you alluding to your very nature being different from other elves?”

RV:  “Yes.  My very nature is fundamentally different from that of normal elves, down to my very soul.  Taken at surface level, the traits which distinguish me most, my ambition, drive to gain power and wealth, mastery of the arcane, massive ego, my tendency to gain a remarkable loyalty from my lesser, even my lifespan.  Most elves tend to grow supremely bored and detached after a thousand years or so, perhaps two if they are particularly ambitious, and go off to die quietly somewhere.  I’ve never felt that urge, not even once, and I am just as spry as I was two, three, four thousand years and more ago.  Quite an anomaly, you would agree?”

AG:  “There are certainly no other known examples of elves as old as you.  Common belief is that you have preserved yourself through arcane methods, may in fact be a lich or making use of clones to extend your lifespan.”

RV:  “Lichdom is not for me, at least not for the foreseeable future, but there is precedent for it.  I have said previously that I mastered the arcane method of creating a clone.  That mastery has certainly been honed through practice when required.”

AG:  “So you have experienced death before.”

RV:  “Death of the body is trivial, my dear.  It is merely a vessel for the soul, which houses one’s true essence.  That is why I destroyed Halaxaes’ soul when he dared to cross me.  When the Hand of Mausolus was sent after me, I did not mean that I was lucky that he never caught me, rather that he did not slay my soul.  Had it been Korvalis Nightrunner who had come after me, then perhaps you and I would not be having this conversation.”

AG:  “Most would say that dealing in souls is a very terrible, dark art.”

RV:  “Most are beneath me and could not begin to understand how little I care about their opinions.”

AG:  “With all this talk of souls and your true nature, how does that tie into your draconic research?  Have you found a secret there as to the nature of souls themselves?  To our very existence, perhaps?”

RV:  “Not all souls, only a very small number of them, speaking strictly by the numbers.  But before I get into that, I should tell you the short version of what I have learned over these many centuries of study.  The proliferation of draconic ruins throughout the galaxy can be no accident, for their general construction and iconography are mostly identical throughout known space, with minor variations depending upon the tastes of the individual dragons who oversaw their construction.  As your order’s records indicate, there is a clear advancement in the age of the ruins through time; some ruins have been dated to be much older than those within the Andyllion core worlds, and others have been dated to be much younger, but the youngest of these is still thousands of years older than even I.  What most have not discerned, though, is the pattern of their construction, specifically a pattern which indicates an intentional and systematic expansion of dragon kind throughout space in a spiral progression following the spiral nature of the galaxy itself.”

AG:  “Are you referring to the draconic migration theory?”

RV:  “Yes and no.  The theory itself is flawed, you see.  The dragons did not simply advance from one world to the next as they grew bored or were vanquished by the lesser races or succumbed to some disease or calamity, to conquer the lesser races on a whim as is surmised.  No, the dragons themselves were responsible for seeding the worlds they visited, taking their loyal followers with them as they traveled, creating entirely new civilizations as they advanced, trying something new and different each time, studying how these civilizations flourished or died, then moving on to the next once they had satisfied themselves.  The shortsighted and self-absorbed nature of the various races throughout known space could never allow them to open their minds to the possibility that they or their gods were not responsible for their coming to their home worlds or perhaps even their creation. 

I can see that you’re going to need a few moments to process this and formulate your next question.  I can already guess what that question will be.  How does my version of events relating to the draconic seeding of worlds relate to the gods, to the various creation myths and commonly held beliefs that the gods were responsible for the creation of their ‘children’?  It’s really not a difficult leap in logic, my dear.  Think about it for a moment, have some fresh tea.  You’ll get there, I’m certain.”

#Lore24 – Entry #350 – Sci-Fi Month IV #15 – Tightening Fists, Growing Discontent

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “I take it that the spread of the Elvish Imperium’s control would hinder your further exploration of the draconic ruins that had been discovered since the expansion from Andyllion?”

RV:  “It would, yes.  There was a specific something I was looking for, had been looking for since the Age of Legends, in fact; I’ll get back to this soon enough, I promise.  I could travel mostly where I wished, being an elf, but I didn’t want to have the many eyes of the emperor upon me.  I learned quickly that I was as much of a threat to Halaxaes as any of his enemies, for I was a power he couldn’t control.  There were several attempts on my life as I came out of my seclusion and learned of the new state of the galaxy, even rating the attention of one of the Hands of Mausolus when more mundane methods had failed.  This one was the newest Hand, Twilight Tokikatsu, not the legendary Korvalis Nightrunner, who was still active at the time, and would be so for a while yet before he would “retire”.  Still, I very nearly met my end at their hands at least twice. 

Sending the Hand of Mausolus after me was the second strike Halaxaes would earn.  Now, it’s common that you allow three strikes before retaliation, but I long ago lowered it to two.  I resolved upon my second escape from the Hand of Death that Halaxaes would need to be dealt with.  As much as it pained me, I would have to put my research on hold for a time and see this little struggle for ultimate control of the galaxy ended in a way that would satisfy me.  I could have perhaps simply eliminated him then and there, but I’ll admit to being rather incensed at his actions, so I vowed to make him suffer.”

AG:  “I see.  How exactly did you go about this?”

RV:  “I would remain in hiding, and let the story spread that I was afraid of Halaxaes.  I would do nothing directly to him, not at the time, anyway.  Rather, I would do what we elves do best, plant seeds and watch them grow over time; I had played this game centuries upon centuries longer than him, after all.  I would let the fool continue his expansion, let him tighten his grip to the point he could tighten it no more, to allow a proper discontent to grow upon the many worlds he would oppress with his military might.  The many space citadels he would create would help to ensure that discontent, as would the creation of the Sentinels.”

AG:  “You refer to the massive space stations that were capable of destroying an entire planet, yes?”

RV:  “That’s correct.  Sentinel Prime was the first and largest of them, supposedly the only one that still survives in fact.  Halaxaes was nothing if not insistent that bigger was better, and the idea of building a station capable of hyperspace travel that could easily match an entire fleet and still have enough left to obliterate a planet was the pinnacle of his power.  It shows how small minded he was, in my opinion; I can think of at least a half a dozen measures that would be more efficient when it comes to destroying a planet or laying waste to a system, in terms of manpower, resources, and time.  But, all are more subtle and hardly as blatantly obvious a threat to intimidate the populace into compliance, so his ways were not entirely without merit.  I just prefer more subtle methods of control, I suppose.”

AG:  “A more corporatized method, would you say?”

RV:  “I would.”

Note:  Rivalle seemed quite smug at that response.

AG:  “So you would allow Halaxaes to continue expanding his empire; what did you do in the meantime?”

RV:  “I helped encourage that discontent, helped to shift funds and resources to the growing rebellious groups in various systems, all under different identities I developed.  I even worked with several groups of Malvaxor worshippers to help start plagues and famines throughout many worlds where the Imperium was at tis strongest, just to keep Halaxaes and his people distracted, keep that little bit of discontent simmering within those most loyal to the emperor.  This would of course spread to other systems as resources were pulled from them to compensate, further growing the hatred against the Imperium.  It would only be a matter of time before the cracks would grow too wide to cover up.

I would also begin working on another golem during this period, quite a special one in fact, with a particular purpose in mind.  Halaxaes had a most beloved son, you see, Ruvaen, who was his right hand, a most devoted boy with no small arcane talent himself, a master swordsman and seasoned soldier, too, though he notably lacked his father’s ambition, otherwise he likely would have tried to wrest control of the empire from him some time before.  So, he would be my next target, and it was for him that I built this special golem.”

AG:  “Was the golem to assassinate him?  Was that what attacked him during the raid on Auralus that would spark the war against the Imperium in earnest?”

RV:  “Oh no, not at all, quite the opposite in fact.  This golem was meant to save his life.”

 

#Lore24 – Entry #349 – Sci-Fi Month IV #14 – The Great Elvish Imperium

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “How did Halaxaes manage the remarkable growth of the Elvish Imperium during their rise?  Why would so many worlds fall under his sway?”

RV:  “A combination of factors, really.  Initially it was plans that had been laid by the old Dominion upon Andyllion centuries before that the shorter-lived races simply wouldn’t be able to trace that would be the Great Houses’ way back into power.  Destabilize a nation here, cause a crisis there, and have the solution ready to go and paint yourself as the hero.  Rather standard operations, really.  In spite of the advancement in technology and much further spread, the old ways of manipulating the races still worked, even on those worlds that had civilizations all their own, completely independent of Andyllion’s history.

Once sufficient wealth and resources had been secured, Halaxaes began working against his detractors through subterfuge and magic that had likely not been used for centuries, clouding or even breaking minds to his will, painting the image of a growing threat of an unknown attacker from deep space that would have to be dealt with, specifically a second demonic invasion from the Demon Sector, which had only been discovered recently back then, and only mapped out as far as finding seventy-two stars within, though our detection methods were hardly as sophisticated as what we possess today.  As an aside, I dislike the name “Demon Sector”; the region is far too large to classify as a single sector, composed of thousands of star systems; we know today that it composes an entire arm of our galaxy, so it really should have a more accurate name in my opinion, but “the Demon Arm” just sounds rather lacking. 

Anyway, once the idea of a possible demonic invasion had been firmly established and fear heightened through a massive propaganda campaign and said mind-altering magic used upon world leaders, Halaxaes had nearly everything he needed to see Elvish dominance over known space.

Truth be told, I am rather impressed with his success in building such a vast empire in a period when so many worlds were reaching out to the stars and seeking independence or to remain unbothered in their own regions.  As I recall, we of the Andyllion sector had already encountered other space-faring worlds by this time, though none possessed the TK-Drives that we had developed, exploration beyond their own systems limited mostly to generation ships or the rare alternate high-speed engine that simply wasn’t nearly as fast as the TKD’s hyperspace traversal, so there had already been some minor conflicts here and there, so I imagine that Halaxaes had some greater difficulty convincing these worlds to join, but once they did, they received the secret of the TKD in return for loyalty.”

AG:  “What can you tell me about the leadup and aftermath of the Massacre of Tollinda III?”

RV:  “Oh, this was well-planned, no doubt, by Halaxaes and his loyalists.  By this time, I’m sure they were looking for ways to secure their power in a manner that would insure it would be nigh impossible to break going forward.  I do believe he had something of a chip on his shoulder about the dissolution of the former Elvish Dominion, for he would have likely been in charge of the Great Houses as that group was originally structured.  He needed a verified example of the demonic threat to ensure his control would be unquestioned.  For as slow as some races are on the uptake, there were rumors finally breaking through the propaganda wall that threatened his lofty position.

Chief among these was the Tollinda system, specifically the Tollinda III colony, well, it had become a properly functional world on its own by this time.  It made the perfect sacrifice for the cause, really.  One, it had a large aerian population, hence the high resistance to elvish control, two it was the most civilized system on the edge of known space at the time, placing it closest to the Demon Sector boundary, and three, the world had established a rather formidable defense force and had claimed that it was quite secure without the help of the Elvish Imperium.  A devastating attack here would serve to eliminate challenges to Elvish rule and convince other worlds that the threat from beyond the Demon Barrier was indeed real.”

AG:  “There has been some question as to the nature of the attack group that assaulted Tollinda, and of the weapons which they brought to bear upon the world.  Do you have any knowledge of them?”

RV:  “The ships were simply Elvish vessels that were heavily modified to look alien and demonic.  Since the threat didn’t actually exist, the ships could look like anything, really, so they simply went with garish exoskeletons bolted to the hulls, and lots of red paint, then masked their drive signatures through higher radiation output while using magical constructs to spread “demonic foulness” into surrounding space which was little more than a smokescreen combined with a highly inefficient comms and sensor jamming field.  It only had to look good for the long-range sensors and what camera footage they would allow to leak, after all.

Now, as I recall, the Tollinda defense force put up a rather impressive fight, and actually looked like they might have succeeded in fending off the “demonic” invasion once they had brought the aerian Star Sabers into the fight.  Nothing quite like an aerian ship barreling toward you at full speed, piercing your hull, and deploying boarding parties into the heart of your ship to ruin your carefully laid plans.  Those must have been newer additions to the Tollinda fleet, because it seems that Halaxaes’ forces weren’t aware of them.  Had the decision not been made to scuttle the ships and destroy the aerian boarders with them, the secret may have been found.

As to the destruction of the world itself, it was nothing new, rather quite old.  Halaxaes and his arcanists had simply recreated the transplanar bombs I had devised centuries before, altering certain properties of course, to limit the planar damage while making it look suitably terrifying.  The attack on Tollinda III hadn’t gone to plan, so there might’ve even been a chance the plan would have failed had the devices, like had done before upon Andyllion, not already been smuggled into the cities on the surface.  In the end, Halaxaes got what he wanted, that rallying cry to face the demonic threat that didn’t exist, and worlds clamoring to his side when footage got distributed of the Imperium’s fleets destroying the invaders in an act of revenge for the fallen world.

This was also the first instance in which Halaxaes would cross me.  By destroying the world, he also destroyed several draconic ruins I had yet to study.  I likely wouldn’t have found anything I hadn’t found elsewhere, but there was always that chance that the breakthrough I needed would have been there.  It was the first strike he would earn.”

#Lore24 – Entry #348 – Sci-Fi Month IV #13 – Waning Magic, Growing Technology

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “Can you comment on the state of magic during the period leading up to and following the development of the TK-Drive?”

RV:  “Obviously the use of magic overall had greatly diminished during this time.  As technology advances, magic wanes; it’s been a consistent trend across the galaxy.  Knowledge not utilized is quite often knowledge forgotten.  The gods, much to their chagrin, I’m sure, were losing followers in droves by this time as technology supplanted everything.  Nothing remarkable or unexpected, just a natural course as what was once magical became mundane and easily distributed via a technological or scientific replacement.”

AG:  “Were you negatively affected by this change?”

RV:  “I’m quite stuck in the old ways.  I had to adapt to certain things, but overall, no, my abilities remained undiminished compared to much of Andyllion’s younger arcanists and other mystics.  There were plenty of worlds that remained, and yet remain, in a state like that of Andyllion before its advancement within this galaxy, which the gods and magically inclined may seek to continue their traditional paths.  All things change in time; it’s inevitable.  One must simply learn to adapt and change if one wishes to survive.”

AG:  “Did the development of the TK-Drive and related technologies of exploration advance your research into the ancient dragons more rapidly than before?”

RV:  “Unfortunately no, at least for some time yet.  I found plenty more ruins as the decades and centuries passed, but they were usually in a state comparable to most of those upon Andyllion, offering me little more than crumbs of knowledge.  I did learn that the earliest such discovered sites were of a comparable age to those of Andyllion, though, meaning that it was very likely that this region of space was visited by the dragons at roughly the same time.  I even learned that, at one time, they possessed the power to link worlds through the use of portals and gateways, though this network was long since defunct.  Discoveries made much later would reveal newer sites, and eventually, much older ones than those upon Andyllion, but it would be some time before I would find those.”

AG:  “Your name, as it is now, or even your full original elvish name, doesn’t show up during this period of expansion, and wouldn’t appear in the history books until approximately fifteen hundred years after the first TK-Drive was developed, when you first founded DSM following the collapse of the Great Elvish Imperium.  Were you involved in the formation of the Great Elvish Imperium that would attempt to seize control of the many new worlds that Andyllion had discovered?”

RV:  “I wasn’t directly involved with the formation of the Elvish Imperium, no.  I had my eyes well beyond Andyllion by this point, and was absorbed in my research, translating the High Draconic records and trying to find some clue as to where they could have gone after Andyllion and surrounding star systems.  I cared little for politics at the time, and had paid little attention to anything going on that didn’t directly affect my continuing research.  I wouldn’t become aware of its formation for nearly a century after it had claimed control of Andyllion and its surrounding systems and had begun to spread further and claim more worlds under its banner.  I honestly didn’t think that ambition like that of Orzius Halaxaes existed in the galaxy anymore, aside from myself, of course.”

AG:  “Had you known Orzius Halaxaes before he declared himself emperor and created the Great Elvish Imperium?”

RV:  “Briefly.  He was young, only a handful of centuries in age, during the Age of Legends, and had spent time studying the arcane beneath me, and knew something of the draconic history I had uncovered to that point. He was nothing remarkable when I knew him, but in the intervening centuries, it seems, he had grown quite ambitious and resourceful indeed.  Once I had become aware of the development of the Imperium, I remained in the shadows, watching how he manipulated the elves of other worlds to join this new Imperium and bend other races to his will.  I must also credit him for using my concept of a sky fortress, never actually implemented upon Andyllion, as the basis for his space citadels.  The influences were obvious once I had seen them in person, the blend of technology and arcane power was quite inspired, honestly.  Were it not for the many worlds already under his control, and the high amount of resources they contained, such vessels would have remained quite impractical.  A pity that his insistence upon reestablishing elvish control of other races, only on a much grander scale, would come to cause me great frustration in the coming year.  I daresay had he not riled my anger, the Great Elvish Imperium may still exist to this day.”

#Lore24 – Entry #347 – Sci-Fi Month IV #12 – Andyllion Advances Towards the Stars

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “The period of roughly a thousand years following the Age of Legends saw an incredible change upon Andyllion as technology and the sciences advanced.  Was this due to the influence of the demons upon the world, the Elvish Dominion, or both perhaps?”

RV:  “Both.  The demons preferred their method of control and would have seen the world come under their thumb in one way or another through their control of powerful individuals throughout the world, likely duplicating the kerryn blood curse that kept them sustained on all the races should they have spread further. 

We elves, on the other hand, knew well how to manipulate the other races without need of cursed magic and had much longer-range plans for how we would guide events forward.  This ensured that we would see the outcomes we wanted, even if generations of the lesser races passed before we attained what we desired.  We can be quite patient in that way.  Technology would have advanced quite a bit faster than it had to that point had we previously allowed it; when the dwarves or gnomes or even the drakonae pushed too far, stood upon the cusp of some great advancement, we would either make a most spectacular display of how dangerous and unstable such technology was, and see to it that the knowledge was buried deep, or simply eliminate those responsible for its development and erase their mark in history.  That, of course, had been our way for time immemorial, long before I was even around.”

AG:  “But you pushed them away from this mindset and allowed such advancements following the Age of Legends.  Was this purely to further your own interests?”

RV:  “Mostly, but not entirely.  I was possessed of a drive few of my kind would understand, of course, and as I stated previously, I needed many more eyes out there searching for the secrets of the dragons that yet remained.  It was simply the most logical step to take, allowing the world to advance and reach into the heavens in ways never before conceived, at least not that the Dominion would admit to.”

AG:  “Was there pushback from the leaders of the Elvish Dominion on this?”

RV:  “Oh, absolutely, however briefly.  When necessary, I would involve myself in matters and see to it that any obstacles in my path to the stars were eliminated.  They learned soon enough that my will was not to be denied.”

Note:  The coldness with which Rivalle made that statement has sent a chill down my spine.  Her reputation for ruthlessness is undoubtedly well earned.

AG:  “The advancement of Andyllion through its industrial phase to that of the space age is considered to be remarkably fast when compared to that seen upon other planets, even those that attained space and faster-than-light travel well before the people of Andyllion did.  Some accounts of certain technological developments have been attributed to divine inspiration or uncovering long-lost documents that detailed the previous steps in their development, while others remain mysterious.  Was some of this your doing?”

RV:  “Perhaps not directly, but that is my guidance at work in many cases, yes.  Even before the Age of Legends, I had visited worlds in which technology had advanced to the space age, with much of what we are familiar with today, and could have, if I had wished it, brought Andyllion completely to heel using weapons and devices I found upon these worlds.  I suppose it was something of Marcon Shadowmist’s influence upon me in that regard; though I was bound by no such agreement with the gods, I likewise did not wish to draw their attention upon myself, and would keep my interference in matters subtle and indirect, let the people themselves think that they were the ones wanting to make these great leaps forward.”

AG:  “Were you responsible for the development of what became known as the TK-Drive?  It’s development was an absolutely unprecedented advancement in the known galaxy, and its origins are cloaked in mystery.  Did you know Tonzura Koite?”

RV:  “Sadly I cannot claim credit for that, aside from being one of the largest financial backers of the project that would lead to the drive’s development.  The figure of Tonzura Koite is entirely mythical; they were, in actuality, a team of researchers led by two strong personalities, one a kerryn named Renji Koite and the other a dusk elf by the name of Tonzura Viejra.  The two were constantly at each other’s throats over how the proposed drive would function, Koite being a classically trained arcanist and Viejra being a highly educated scientist, each often proposing the same thing from opposing approach vectors.  I daresay I could not have set up a better conflict of personalities if I had tried, though I had absolutely no reason to do so since it went against my desires.

The need for the drive was, as history suggests, accurate.  The rapid advancement had left no small portion of Andyllion’s resources exhausted and much of the planet contaminated by pollution and other industrial wastes, and space travel to that point had barely begun exploring the Andyllion solar system, let alone beyond it.  The world had settled into several major powers that roughly resembled the ancient continental powers, and it was only a matter of time before war broke out over the remaining resources, and at this time, magic-infused explosives, not unlike those I had developed long before, were quite common.  It likely would have been a level of destruction equal to, if not greater than, the Great Cataclysm, had Koite and Viejra not had their breakthrough.”

AG:  “So it is entirely true that the TK-Drive saved Andyllion, then?”

RV:  “Absolutely.  Once the team had conducted their tests and proven that their combination of magic and technology worked, the first ship to utilize the drive was constructed by another team of dwarves, gnomes, and drakonae, and, though exceptionally slow-moving by today’s standards, in a matter of hours following the first test flight, the first communications from beyond the solar system were received.  It was almost immediately practical to begin resource-gathering operations in the Andyllion system, so the resource war was averted.  In a matter of weeks following the deployment of the second version of the drive, Andyllion reached the next nearest star system, and so on, and so on.  The first new draconic ruin would be discovered within a handful of years, and I would again continue my passion project.”

#Lore24 – Entry #345 – Sci-Fi Month IV #10 – The Age of Legends

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “Was there anything specific that you sought within those ruined draconic cities?  And how exactly did these events jumpstart the Age of Legends from your perspective?”

RV:  “Knowledge of course was my primary interest, though of course, along with that came further power.  I wanted to know all that could be gleaned about the mysterious race that had so shaped the world and then mysteriously vanished.  You could say that I felt a certain affinity with the dragons, something I realized even then, given my vastly superior understanding of magic compared to others in the world.  I daresay that without my studies following the Great Cataclysm, magic would have stagnated for a thousand years or more as people tried to relearn it.

I say that these expeditions were so very important because of one of the most prominent of the legends to emerge, the one you serve now.  Were it not for the human then known as Angeliqua Cartacustos and her meticulous study and research into these sites, she would never have found the path that led to her ascension to godhood.  She was but the first such legend to attain that mysterious spark that allowed her to reach such a lofty position during that time, and the first to do so.  Though this too was the will of Marcon Shadowmist, for he was somehow aware of the danger that lay before Andyllion and had nudged Cartacustos on a path that would see the world saved.”

AG:  “Could you explain that more?  I have never heard of this.”

RV:  “Oh, you wouldn’t have, my dear.  For as good a job as your order does at recording history, you can’t exactly record it if it never happened, though I suspect that if you dig deeply enough, you may in fact find some recollection of the event.  It was a bit of a paradox, you see, and once Cartacustos had figured it out and remedied the situation, time itself was altered into the timeline we currently exist upon.  I don’t have all the details, mind you, but I do know that our world, at the very least, would have been doomed, the very source of magic, even that which the gods grant to their followers, sucked dry.  It’s…almost like a dream, you see, how I remember it.  I know that it never happened, yet I also know that it did, for I lived through it to the bitter end and witnessed her actions for myself.  I suppose my…unique nature…has kept me aware of these events, when all others who may have experienced them have forgotten them.  Don’t trouble yourself too much over it; if you wish, I can discuss it more later.”

AG:  “Yes, I would very much like to delve deeper into that subject.  Back to my original questions…you seem to have been curiously quiet during the Age of Legends, for your name doesn’t appear in many accounts of the era.  Was this intentional on your part?  What were you doing during this time?”

RV:  “Study and research, mostly.  I poured over all the details gleaned from Cartacustos and her order, and several others I had working on the project.  I kept my interference to a minimum and had mostly divested myself from the Elvish Dominion’s leadership by this time.  My intentions were carried out as I had wished them to be through my lesser that I left in charge, and they handled their duties satisfactorily.  I had far greater ambitions than mere political power then, for I would come to understand my truest nature, and something of what had happened to the dragons themselves through my experiences.  In this, Marcon Shadowmist and I were alike, quietly guiding events while we performed whatever machinations we would behind the scenes.  I can tell that you’re itching to know what I’m alluding to, but you’ll have to be patient  a while longer yet.”

AG:  “You certainly have a way of teasing things, Ms. Volcari.  During your, I suppose I’ll call it a sequestration during this time, did you encounter any of the others who would be considered Legends of the Age?”

RV:  “I would, yes, however briefly our interactions may have been.  I met Korvalis Nightrunner before he became the Right Hand of Mausolus, and for a wonder, this legendary assassin was never sent after me.  I daresay he would have been the one person who would have been able to slay me during that time.  I would regularly convene with the likes of Marcon Shadowmist and Azalina Fang during this period. Yes, that Azalina Fang, the very one that the academy was named after, though her growing instability meant that it was only a matter of time before she was dealt with for a final time. 

I may have…nudged Shibaru Sukimono in her direction when I refused to teach her the arcane arts after she had escaped her bondage, before she began her true task of freeing the kerryns from their bondage within the Imperium Draconis, knowing that their personalities would clash to the point of violence, and that Azalina would seek to rip that special power Sukimono had been granted from the goddess she would eventually free.  I could sense Sukimono’s power then, knew that she was destined for greatness.  I’ll admit to being rather surprised that she had managed to find the single remaining aerian upon Andyllion as well, Maltizar Skyrider, and was even more surprised when he didn’t try to kill me upon our first meeting.  He’s a hard one to put down, and one of the few beings in this galaxy that rivals me for age; thankfully for me, his memory is terrible”

Note:  A peculiar frown, a look of distaste, passed over Rivalle’s face then.

“Then there was Lila Darius…that would be my first encounter with the woman who I still absolutely cannot stand to this very day…the bumbling fool somehow managed to tap into a remnant of Saressh’s power that remained from before the goddess was captured by Suzu’reitani and resurrected over a thousand aerian warriors before the final battle with the demon lord.  I suspect Marcon had something to do with that little feat, though I have no proof of it.  How she has vexed me ever since she awakened her true blood back then…”

AG:  “Her true blood?”

Note:  I was beginning to form an idea of why Rivalle’s assistant looked like Lila, and why the poor girl looked worried when Rivalle’s mood darkened.  I’m not sure if there’s someone I can alert to her situation who would actually be able to do anything about it, no matter how much I want to.  Rivalle has resumed her more pleasant demeanor with my latest question.

RV:  “Ah, yes…well, we’ll be getting to that later, for it is something we have in common.  We can’t all have the blood of gods within us, but close enough.

Continuing on, I did have occasion to meet Mantok Badaxe before he ascended to godhood for his people as well.  He was quite brilliant for an orc during that time, though no less a great warrior, and even I will credit him with evolving his people through shear force of will.  This was before his clan would turn against the Draconis Emperor and fight alongside the kerryns during their uprising, again due in so small part to the interference of Lila Darius.  I daresay she did more for the kerryns than Shibaru Sukimono did, though it was ultimately Sukimono who slew the demon lord and broke the blood curse and the power that bound their goddess.  Had Darius kept to that, I might not hate her so…

I would have a brief encounter with the mysterious Yasraena Onimatsuri during this time as well, though it was more random chance than anything when she happened to emerge, cut her way through a battlefield and two armies, just to keep walking as if it were nothing for her.  Her family, her mother specifically, had been one of my apprentices during the time before the Cataclysm, and had taken to her own unique studies of the arts, seeking power to perhaps rival my own.  Yasraena was, and still is, I suppose, wherever she may be now, a unique case to say the least.  Even though I was vaguely aware of her comings and goings throughout the centuries and millennia, she always kept to herself.  It’s almost like she never grew out of her “brooding teenager” period, honestly. 

I do believe that was the last notable encounter with those who would be considered Legends, though I did briefly meet a handful of others…let’s see…Naiya and Shank Serana come to mind.  Did you know that Shank’s adoptive father also adopted Lila Darius?  It’s how that family name came to be a kerryn name, in fact.  Curious that link…  Then there was Shibaru Sukimono’s vampiric clone who came to me seeking a remedy for her condition at one point; you’ll have to track down her reincarnation if you want the details of that story, for I couldn’t be bothered to delve into it myself.  There was the legendary gnomish craftsman Fitzgerald; I commissioned some work from him and would use his superior artifice in my creation of several golems.”

#Lore24 – Entry #344 – Sci-Fi Month IV #9 – A Growing Discontent

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “Ah, yes, of course I understand what you’re getting at.  Our passion gives us purpose.  So you would focus most of your time on your studies of the ancient dragons and their ruins once some stability had come.  Were there any particular challenges you faced, aside from just finding the sites and relics you studied?”

RV:  “Plenty of them.  Competition, of course, was always an issue.  Treasure hunters were always looking for a profit, and while I was certainly willing to pay exorbitant amounts, they would not always seek me first, and sometimes relics would go to what I will generously call my rivals.  Eventually I would get what was due to me, though, through whatever means I may have had to take.  I believe it was during this period that I first recall having assassins sent after me, too.  The earliest ones very nearly succeeded, though I was quite flattered that I rated so highly as to have them called in to attempt to slay me.  Though the price on my head went ever upward, tales of what I did to those who survived my retaliation spread, and eventually only the best of the best would dare face me.  That much hasn’t changed to this day, in fact; you should see the collection of would-be assassins I’ve collected over the centuries.”

AG:  “Your…collection of would-be assassins?  You mean in prisons?”

RV:  “Something like that, yes.  We’ll call them private prisons for the sake of brevity.  I recall, as the Age of Legends approached, I had even taken to holding competitions with them, sometimes under the guise of simple thievery from one of my strongholds, others with specific instructions to slay me.  The ones I was most impressed with I…recruited…to serve as deterrence for any others who would seek to harm me.  One of my most fond kerryn pets came from their ranks, in fact.  I do miss Sei-Sei quite a bit sometimes when I’m feeling nostalgic.”

AG:  “I see… Can you tell me something of how the world had come to be following the Reforging, and in the period leading up to the Age of Legends?”

RV:  “I could tell you quite a bit, and would ask you to be more specific, but I’m certain I can tell you what you wish to know.  Though stability had once again come, and had been for roughly a thousand years, perhaps, discontent was looming once more.  Though remarkably stable up until then, the Imperium Draconis was showing signs of decline and coming collapse, even with the guiding hands of the demons and the mazoku.  They had perhaps overextended themselves, or had grown discontent with simply existing, and sought to expand their power.  Rebellions against the empire were starting to grow more frequent, even amongst the kerryn slaves.  The Emperor’s loyal orc clan, the Badaxe, who had taken up the study of the aerian tactics and kept their traditions alive, were even growing restless, being used for little more than bodyguards and as a special police force. 

On my side of the world, things were not quite so unified, but there was plenty of restlessness to be seen.  Refugees and escaped slaves from the Imperium had been coming to our land more and more, spreading word of the atrocities committed by the Emperor.  Much of it was blown out of proportion, certainly; I visited the land regularly and saw little of what they described.  I even spent quite a few months in their Great Library during the course of my studies, and aside from the cracks that had formed, the Empire itself remained remarkably stable for its age.  Still, seeds had been planted.  Though we had refined our methods at the time, the Elvish Dominion was beginning to be looked upon most unfavorably by the other races, so the few elders who remained began to see the possibility of another war breaking out. 

I remained mostly disconnected from it all, though, intent upon my studies.  It was during this period that I would make my most significant discovery relating to my own nature, a nature shared by a select few known individuals throughout history, and many more who would remain undiscovered.  I’ll save discussion of that until later, though.”

AG:  “Very well.  What would you say is the starting point for the Age of Legends?  Historians can’t seem to agree exactly upon what marks the start of this period.”

RV:  “I would say that it was my drive to study the ancient dragons and their remaining relics and sites that ultimately kickstarted the Age of Legends, specifically with the funding I provided, however indirectly, of several major expeditions at once.  Most significant of these were two, namely at the ruins of the ancient draconic city upon the Dragontail Isles, and the discovery of another draconic city far to the west of the Imperium Draconis, which would ultimately be handled by the researchers and archeologists of the Great Library.  That one was led by a most important individual, one of your ancestors, perhaps…what was her name back then… ah yes, Angeliqua Cartacustos, the humble librarian who would ascend to become the Goddess of Knowledge and Storytelling, the Goldeneyed Librarian, Guardian of the Codex Infinitum herself.  She was quite astute for a human, a credit to your kind, especially during those days.  I can’t take sole credit for her ascension, certainly, but I would like to think I played some small part in it by starting her down that path with my expedition into what was known as the Wildlands during that time. 

Once these draconic cities were uncovered and their secrets plundered for study, the Age of Legends would start in earnest, with some of the most recognizable heroes and villains in history emerging to once again reshape the world, though, thankfully, nowhere near as drastically as had been seen during the Great Cataclysm, even though Marcon Shadowmist would again show himself and guide events to favor his own machinations.”

#Lore24 – Entry #343 – Sci-Fi Month IV #8 – Empires Come and Go

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “Did you return to the forefront of the Elvish Dominion once you had again mastered the arcane?”

RV:  “In a very limited capacity.  The political machinations of my people were a secondary concern.  They would ask my opinion on certain things and I would give it, or I would learn of something that needed to be addressed and would nudge them in the correct direction, usually relating to matters of dealing with the other races.”

AG:  “Historical records during the earlier period of the Reforging are very scattered, much like the people and lands themselves.  Were there any particularly notable events of the period that you would say impacted what was to come?”

RV:  “Well, outside of my own people, it seemed a new country would rise and fall almost daily, though I’m sure it took them somewhat longer, likely a few decades, to go through that cycle.  It was mostly the humans of course, short-lived and short-sighted as they are, who drove these changes.  They’ve made some improvements since, but back then they were still rather primitive in their ways, dividing themselves into one faction or another over the most asinine of reasons and generally being a nuisance to the other races, which, indeed, had become more insular, seeking to rebuild themselves first, and worry about forging alliances later. 

I suppose the greatest change came across the newly formed ocean, back on the side of the world where the planar detonation had occurred.  I had suspected that the entirety of the land was a burnt-out wasteland and couldn’t exactly prove otherwise due to the unreliability of divination magic then, and the more limited range at which it functioned.  But we would learn, oh, maybe five hundred years or so after the Cataclysm, that a new empire had been founded, and was actually flourishing under the joint rulership of humanity and the mazoku, which were much more numerous on that side of the world.  I believe you’re somewhat familiar with it… the Imperium Draconis, and their impressively large capital, Draconis Magna? 

I will admit to being somewhat impressed that humanity could create such a stable government after what I had witnessed on the other side of the world, though that I think was more the influence of the mazoku and their demon masters who still lingered and hungered for control than any sudden human enlightenment.”

Note:  When Rivalle addressed me regarding knowledge of the Imperium Draconis, she showed a rather odd look upon her face, which till then, had been mostly locked in that pleasant, no-nonsense corporate mask that she is always seen to wear.  It was almost to say that she knows something that I don’t, perhaps.  Or at least, that is the impression it gave me.

AG:  “I am curious about the relationship between the elves of the new world and the kerryns.  We know quite well that the Imperium Draconis enslaved them from their inception, for, they believed, the good of the world, though as you alluded, that was mostly the influence of the demons that remained.  How were they viewed by the Elvish Dominion which had previously been at war with them?”

RV:  “Time heals all wounds, as they say.  We only saw them as enemies then due to their steadfast alliance with the Aerians, our mortal enemies.  Had we been able to break that alliance otherwise, likely we never would have resorted to calling the demons at all.  But, with the aerians extinct upon Andyllion for the time being, we let the kerryns do as they wished, and they saw mostly to t themselves, though their goodly nature tended to mean they would continue being friendly and offering aid to others in need during the Reforging period.

I myself actually became quite fond of them during this time and kept several around in various capacities.  Some were research assistants, others playthings.  I liken them to pets, really, for being the second longest-lived race in the known galaxy means I can actually grow attached to them before they grow too old.  These days I tend to keep at least one nearby, as my dear Lila here can attest, as a stress-relief measure.  She’s quite talented, you see, and I have taught her much to improve her since she became my personal assistant, some of which would make an Erisayan blush and a Yurisayan envious.  Would you care to see for yourself, Ms. Ganim?  Lila has served my guests many times.”

AG:  “Perhaps later, Ms. Volcari…I would, um, prefer to keep the interview on track.”

Note:  I am certain this kerryn is not Lila Darius, though she looks exactly like her.  She seems eager to please, but I can’t help but observe a timidness about her as she remains ever ready to jump when Rivalle gives the command, though with a certain air of unease, perhaps that she may displease Rivalle, and is fearful of what may come of it.  I daresay that her behavior very much reminds me of accounts of how kerryn slaves would act to please their masters.

AG:  “Did you have a particular area of study during the Reforging period that you focused upon?”

RV:  “Oh yes, I became quite fascinated with history during this period, for much of it had been lost, as you know.  Ostensibly, I did it in the name of preservation and to maintain the power of the Elvish Dominion, for if we controlled the past, we could easily manipulate the future, and having powerful relics from before the Great Cataclysm would ensure that control.  But, my focus fell upon an even older period, when the great dragons ruled the world.  In some instances, the reshaping of the world had served to uncover long lost draconic ruins, while others that had been known were again lost.  I made it my goal t o uncover as much of their lore as I could, to attain as much of their remaining power as I could. 

I learned that I shared many characteristics with the ancient dragons, at least, some of them.  Ambition, instinctive mastery of the arcane arts, a drive for power, a tendency to hoard vast wealth and attain more.  I suppose it was only natural that I would eventually come to found and reign over the single largest corporate entity in the galaxy.  I could say, it was almost as if I was, and still am, driven by a power beyond even myself.  You can relate, I’m sure, being as devoted as you are to the Goldeneyed Librarian and filling the Tome Which Cannot be Filled.”